


Code Switching

by dandelion_wishes



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Accents, Getting to know you, Midwestern, Multi, curious, non Canon, southern
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-05-13 18:53:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5713342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dandelion_wishes/pseuds/dandelion_wishes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannibal wants to hear Will's southern accent. Set in s1 with a s2 element added.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Code Switching

**Author's Note:**

> code switching is a term used for people who drop their natural accent to another. Like going from southern to Midwestern...Often people fall back to their accent when they around people from the same region..anyway..it intrigued me that Will would drop his accent and why...then I thought about Hannibal's accent. I figured he would be curious about Will's... so here is all my pondering in a story. 
> 
> I am by way from and live in the south. I have lived in several different regions of the south. Your accent tends to be muddled and you use various different colloquialisms when you talk.
> 
> I wrote the colloquialisms in the context of a sentence, so the meaning could be figured out. I also gave an explanation when the meaning maybe ambiguous. Most are commonly spoke through out the south with few that comes from the NOL region. 
> 
> Unbeta..I know..I know..I am working on the other fics..promise...

For the majority of the time Will Graham voice sounds neutral like a radio announcer or a news anchor. No distinction or inflection that would set him apart from other speakers, which Will had worked at to attain. He didn’t need...or want..anyone thinking he sounded quaint when he was speaking about mutilated corpses. Will certainly didn’t anyone second guessing his.. intelligent...his ability to do his job when he profiling the serial killer of the week. The empath had enough battles to fight without adding the ill conceived perceptions of people listening to  **how** he said something instead of **what** he was explaining.

 

Although once in a blue moon someone would hear it. A slip of the tongue into a colloquialism, a vowel extended longer than necessary or an ending dropped as though it was a hinderance to the speaker. It escaped like a timid animal when Will was too busy gathering up the pieces of his fractured mind than stimming the flow of his accent. His words, instead of flowing over the rocks of his southern roots, were forced to carry the accent with them.

 

The childhood milestone of speech was first heard in Louisiana. There his accent was unnoticed unless he travelled to another southern state. The differences were soft where only a local would pick up a nuance of another southern albeit an outsider. When his mother left, Will and his dad began their migration to the north, following employment opportunities

 

That is when Will became aware on of his thick accent and lazy speech. Words in the south are often slow in their appearance, whether it be from the draining humidity, oppressive heat or the thoughtful response of the speaker. Will  never contemplated the reason why the spoke slowly. The reason was of no consequence anymore. All the empath thoughts were directed to the fact the accent made him stand out even more. So to disappear into the blissful anonymity of the crowd, Will slowly stripped away his acute southern drawl.

 

It took a lot of work (which Will never shied away from), time and determination. Sure, when he was home alone with his father he would let his natural accent push through. His father felt it was a waste of time to be “ _worryin’ about his accent besides he was acting too big for his britches anyhow_ ”. The empath ignored the berating as he stuck with his goal.By the time Will went to college his accent faded away, along with his colloquial vocabulary.

 

Hannibal was curious about this decision of Will’s to sweep away traces of his childhood. The doctor kept his childhood hidden because he had to hide in plain site. It wouldn’t do to have the FBI stumble over his past. If they trip into the truth it would  force Hannibal to go into hiding. This was tedious uncomfortable situation he wanted to avoid.

 

Hannibal with his rich thick accent is not concerned what anyone thinks of him. He can speak several languages, his word choice regal and refined like everything else Hannibal crafted.The doctor was royalty after all. Hannibal is comfortable in the knowledge he superior to everyone else, so dropping his Lithuanian accent was never something he even considered.

 

Hannibal decided to suss out Will’s accent. The reasons for this was exclusive access to parts of Will that are hidden. Things the empath strives to eliminate or restrict in himself. If Will could relax enough for the accent to emerge, Hannibal would be one step closer to his goal of full possession.

 

Unfortunately, this has been a frustrating process. Will has been stubbornly kept his other accent locked away.Hannibal has tried cooking cajun food as well as “Southern” comfort food. He hoped Will would feel nostalgic letting his accent come through.The doctor used movies and literature with no avail to coax the accent out. Now Hannibal wants to hear Will’s accent as a matter of personal..no..professional pride. He was a professional manipulator after all. This small manipulation should have been easy. Will always surprises him in the end much to Hannibal’s chagrin..

 

One night doctor gets his wish. He was not the driving force behind the situation but he conceded that sometimes outside help can be useful.

* * *

 

They arrived at a crime scene that really had no business for Crawford’s team to be there. It wasn’t particularly violent, gory  or anything special. The duo observe stretchers carry away body bags. There is a small boy sitting with a shock blanket around his shoulders. A couple of paramedics are looking him over.Beverly is standing with the child. She looks up. She sees Will and Hannibal, then leaves the child jogging up to them.

 

“Hey!”

 

The couple nod in greeting. She opened her mouth to speak when Jack joins the group,interrupting her before she gets a word out.

 

“Sorry Will and Dr Lecter. There was a miscommunication between local and federal law enforcement here. We aren’t needed.So go home and rest.” 

 

Jack leaves abruptly heading to what looks like the police captain.

 

Will turned to head back to the car when the feels Beverly’s hand on his shoulder. He stopped pulling his shoulder away. The empath relaxed when he saw its Beverly.

 

“Hey there is something you maybe able to help with.”

 

“Okay. What?”

 

“You see that kid there?” she jerks her head in the direction of the boy.Will nods.

 

“He saw who killed his mom and dad. We aren’t having any luck getting him to talk. The neighbors says the family has moved here  from around NOL. I thought maybe you could help.”

 

Will looks at Beverly exasperated. “I’m not qualified to integrate a child.”

 

“Not integrate, Graham. Just talk to him. Since you were from that area, I thought he might feel comfortable speaking with you. At least find out how old he is and if the has family that can care for him. The social worker needs to know so she place him somewhere for the night. Can you do that?”

 

Will nodded and sighed pulling his glasses out of his pocket. He opened them placing them on his nose. The empath headed toward the child with Beverly and Hannibal following. The  empath shows the paramedics his badge. They move out of the way watching the child as they have a low conversation. Will sat beside the boy while Beverly and Hannibal stand before them.

 

The boy had red hair with freckles on his nose. He was dressed in old flannel pajamas with only the left sock still on his foot. He had disheveled hair, tears on his cheeks and a few scratches along his jaw. Will took  a moment to visually relax his normally tense body.The empath licked his chapped lips before the spoke.

 

“Where y’at?” Will ask softly. 

 

A slow drawl ambles over his tongue tickling the air. Hannibal smiles at the elongated vowels. 

 

The boy looked up at Will. He licked his lips, he studied the profiler who sat with casual posture. His legs open and hands on his knees.It was open and easy. It  invited  confidence and conversation.

 

“I’m fair to middlen,sir. There’s been better days.”

 

Will nods and sighs.

 

“I understand that. How’s your momma and dem?”

 

It seemed like a callous question to the paramedics who grimaced in Will’s direction. They turned away once they felt Hannibal’s intense stare aimed at them. The question was ruler so Will could measure what the boy knew.How much he has been told and how much he saw of the crime.The boy swallows a lump in his throat. He wiped his cheeks.

 

“ They all killed.”

 

“Bless your heart. Got any people you can stay with here or home?”

 

The boy became quiet. He looked at the ground. The boy shook his head.Will lifted his hand hesitated before putting it on the boy’s shoulder.

 

“My name is Will. What’s yours?”

 

“My name is Edward Scott, Jr. But momma calls me Boo.”

 

“What age you made?”

 

“I just turned 8,sir.”

 

“You call me Will,  son.”

 

“All righty, Mr Will..”

 

Hannibal resisted the urge to close his eyes as he listened to Will’s accent while the empath coaxed information out of the young boy. Will’s voice is soft and warm. It could almost be mistaken for friendly.  

 

Will tried to maintain eye contact with the boy. Boo has drifted closer to Will. The boy seemed to seek comfort in someone who reminds him of home and happier times. Hannibal would like to see Will immersed into the state of his childhood. The doctor is curious to see if not only his accent change but any other mannerisms.

 

Hannibal was brought out of his thoughts when the heard Will speaking loudly.

 

“ Rougarou! Are you sure?”

 

The boy nods his head. 

 

"Yes sir Mr Will, I am.”

 

“C’mon now! That’s ole stories from the bayou.”

 

“No..it’ true! I seen it. I was going doh-doh when I heard Momma holler. I ran down the hall. I went to the kitchen. There he was near the ice box. Momma…” the boy chokes on a sob..”momma..momma...was dead. She ripped up like a rag doll with all it’s stuffin’ pulled out.”

 

The boys started to cry into Will’s shoulder. Will gently shushed him while rubbing his back. Once the boy has calmed down. Will speaks with him quietly. The boy noded as the empath gave him an awkward squeeze. The empath stood up walked away from the boy and the paramedics.

 

Hannibal followed. Will took off his glasses he scrubbed his hand over his face. The doctor waits patiently for Will to speak.

 

“He is saying that a Rouarou killed his parents. It’s an old bayou tale. The creature is like a werewolf but he appears as a pale dog.If someone kills the dog, he turns back to his human form. The Rouarou curses the killer that if they tells anyone about it before a year is up, the killer will suffer the fate to become a Rouarou. Parents often use it to keep kids from misbehaving.”

 

“Interesting. What does ‘going doh-doh’ mean?”

 

WIll smiles. “It means going to bed or sleep.”

 

“Ahh..I see. Are you going to look into the boy’s story.”

 

Will shrugged as he looked around. “Not sure. I reckon’ Jack would have a hissy fit if I did. I s’pect I get it for interferin’ with a local matter.”

 

Hannibal raises his eyebrow. Will smiles broadly at him.

 

“You like my accent, do you now?” Will’s goes from southern to midwestern neutral in mid sentence.

 

Hannibal chuckles. “I find it intriguing how well you code switch back and forth. It seems effortless. But yes I do enjoy your authentic accent. It goes with your blunt speech.”

 

“Let’s go. We’ll let the locals deal with this.”  Will keeps his smile but it’s smaller now.

 

The couple moves toward the car as two eyes follow them. A man in a animal suit made of leather and steel watches them from the woods.

 

“Hello Dr Lecter.” whispers Randall Tier. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I didn't do any depth research on the Rouarou legend. I just touched on it for the story.


End file.
